Wasted Time (A Bethyl Fic)
by R-O-T-B-T-D16
Summary: Basically, Beth and Daryl meet when she is really little, they separate and re-meet when she is 18 and he is about 31. That's the jist of it, I promise it is better than this makes it sound XD (rated M for Dixon mouth and maybe smut (?) -still not sure about that but it's a definite possibility) ENJOY
1. one

_**Okay, so this is just a fic idea I've had for a while, and I finally decided to write it. I'm not sure If I'm going to continue it or not, so let me know if you support it! If enough people review saying they want this to be a whole fanfiction novelette, I will totally do it, but if no one seems interested, I'll stop the project; mostly cause I've got other real-life stuff I'm working on as well as other fics. So let me know! And besides all that, I hope you like it :)**_

* * *

><p>One:<p>

Daryl let the cool evening air breeze around him as he walked through the woods, the tender sounds of the earth calming his frenzied nerves.

All in all, today was a bad day.

His dad had come home drunk for the fifth time that week -he'd left as soon as his dad had stumbled through the front door- and his teachers had been riding his ass about attendance all day. If they were going to make such a fuss about him not being there, he figured he just wouldn't go anymore. Maybe that'd shut them up. He had to work so he and his dad could keep their house which kept him from school and his studies most of the time anyway, so why even bother trying to fit school around his schedule? Besides, he didn't really care about his GED. he was doing just fine without it so far.

He shook his head, lighting a cigarette he had taken from Merle's secret stash before he'd left, and he headed towards the playground a road and a few blocks from him home. Since it was so late in the evening, he figured no one would be there. Or, more specifically, there were no bratty kids to annoy him, and no judgemental parents sitting around to scrutinize him. Worst part about them was, they didn't even have to say anything to him. They could just give him a look and he could feel the filth of being a white trash teenager with an asshole for a daddy burrow itself deep into his bones.

No, the park would most likely be empty, so he could just sit on the swings and smoke in the weightlessness of solitude, thinking about nothing in particular while he waited for his dad to drink himself to sleep. Who knows, maybe the asshole wouldn't wake up in the morning.

Wouldn't that be something.

Daryl turned the sharp corner that led into the Park from the trail, making a quick sweep over the area to make sure he didn't look like a pedophile to any stragglers.

Once he was sure there was no one else there, he took his spot on one of the swings, pushing back and forth gently with his heels as he watched the smoke from his cigarette spiral into the darkening sky.

He closed his eyes for a minute as he took a long drag, thankful for the quiet for once. It had been a hectic, noisy ass day, and he was just done with people.

Suddenly, he felt a heavy, yet oddly light pressure on both of his knees.

His eyes snapped open, and he looked down, the panic that shot through his limbs screaming in his ears. That fear quickly faded into confusion, and he blinked, surprised at what he saw.

A sweet looking little toddler was standing directly between his legs, her big blue eyes watching him intently as she pursed her lips. It looked like she was inspecting him.

He stared right back, startled by the strength of her bright eyes.

After a short and intense staring contest, he broke their stare, looking around nervously, still seeing no one. Where had she come from? Where was her mom? Her dad? She didn't seem the least bit worried, and why was that? Were they coming right back?

He didn't want to touch her, afraid her parents would show up suddenly and have him arrested, mistaking him for a kidnapper. Daryl wasn't stupid, he knew he looked mean. If angry looks could kill, all Daryl would have to do would turn his eyes someone's direction and they'd fall down dead as a doornail. Parent's didn't like that about him. It used to bother him more, but now, this was more a matter of hoping he wouldn't get arrested just because he had a nasty looking scowl almost permanently etched into his features.

"Hi," she said, startling him again. "Ay'm Beth."

He threw his cigarette absentmindedly to the ground, moving his leg to put it out with the heel of his boot. "Where's yer' parents, Girl?" he asked, not answering her question.

"Wat's yer' name?" she asked, not looking the tiniest bit bothered by the fact that he had ignored her question.

He glared down at her, but she just looked up at him with a pair of incredibly beautiful blue eyes. He knew she wouldn't answer his question until he'd answered hers, so he sighed and said gruffly, "Daryl. Mah' name's Daryl." She smiled triumphantly, and he just glared down at the little girl. "Now tell me, where're yer' parents?"

She shrugged her small shoulders, making her little blonde ponytail sway slightly. "Maggie wen ta' talk ta' some boy," she said, her small voice innocent. She looked so sweet, even as she played curiously with a hole on the knee of his jeans, pulling at the torn threads. Didn't anyone ever tell her not to talk to strangers? And especially not to go near them? She was lucky he wasn't some creep looking to take her away... Or worse.

"Maggie's yer' sister?" he asked.

She nodded vigorously. "Maggie's reeaal pretty. I like 'er hair short like it is. I wish I had her ayes. They're green! I like thah' color green." She suddenly made circles around her eyes with her tiny little fingers. The action was so sweet, he couldn't help but smile.

"Wha's yer' favite color?" she asked, looking up at him through her finger glasses.

"I like red," he said.

"Like blood?" she asked.

His face scrunched up in confusion. Was it even okay that she knew what blood was? "Uh, maybe that shade o' th' color, yeah," he answered.

"Blood's icky," she said, scrunching her cute little nose.

"Mmhmm," he agreed. He realized suddenly that they had somehow gotten very off topic. "Do ya' know where yer' sister went?" he pressed, suddenly even more worried when she shook her head no. What kind of person leaves their little sibling all alone at the park in the evening time!

"Maggie likes boys," the little girl said. "Even though she's ownly 'leven, she's gotta boyfriend."

Eleven? So maybe this, _Maggie_, hadn't been the only one with her.

Daryl looked around, realizing how dark it was.

His dad would probably be passed out by now, snoring in his dumpster chair, out so cold he wouldn't be able to hear Daryl slam the front door as hard as he could over his own heinous nostril sounds. He should go home, lie down and sleep the self loathing away for a few hours, but… He stared down at Beth. He couldn't just leave her all alone. Besides, how old was she… Two? Maybe three? She'd probably follow him anyway, which could potentially be even worse. He could take her to the nearest police station.

he decided that he'd wait with her for a little while, and after a decent amount of time, he'd walk her downtown and hand her off to the sheriff. This way, if her parents or Maggie came back looking for her in the very near future, they'd be able to find her pretty quick. If they didn't, he was sure they'd go to the police, and the little blondie would be there waiting for them, safe and sound.

"You wanna swing, Girl?" he asked her, trying to think of a way he could keep her nearby and in one place. Swinging was perfect.

She nodded and smiled wide, holding up her arms as he got up, ready to be placed on the big girl swing. He lifted her up, trying to ignore how fragile her little body felt; like she could just break with the slightest pressure.

God, if all kids felt this fragile, he figured he never wanted a baby. He already thought their screaming was both unnatural for such a small thing and just goddamned annoying, if they all felt like they were made of glass, he wouldn't be able to handle it. He was already like a bull in a china shop with people his own age, how the hell could he successfully care for such a tiny little thing?

He shook his head, setting her down as carefully as he could. She practically squirmed out of his grasp at the last second, plopping down onto the tire-like material with a giggle. His breathing hitched in fear in the second, but when he was sure she was fine, he rolled his shoulders, trying to shake it off.

"Alrigh'... How high do ya' wan'na go?" he asked.

She shook her head, tilting her head back to look up at him. "No. Sit," she said, pointing at the swing next to her.

He gave her a confused looked, and her expression turned determined, her lips pursing again. despite his confusion, he moved over, sitting down in the swing she had directed him to and looked over at her, with her little ballet shoe'd feet swinging lightly as she hummed a happy little tune.

"I love the world," Beth said, breaking a rather, although Daryl wouldn't care to admit this fact, easy silence.

"There's a lotta bad people out there, Little Girl," he said, mentally cursing himself for saying it. She was just a kid! She didn't need to hear that shit!

Well… So was he really. If he was being honest with himself, which was something he preferred not to do usually, he probably shouldn't see that as a fact of the world, but he did. And who wouldn't if they tried living even an hour in his fucked to hell life?

"There's good people, Daryl," she said, her furrowed eyebrows and sharp gaze telling him that she was being very serious. As serious as a puny little girl like her could be.

"Wha' makes you so sure?" he asked, honestly curious about what went through this little girl's head. She seemed… Different. She wasn't the snot-nosed brat he'd expected to be acquainted with when he first laid eyes on her. She was a smart little kid, and he honest to God liked her, which was more than he could say about a great many people, including his own father.

"My Daddy saves anmals, and mai sissy smiles a lot... Mai big brother gives me lossa piggy back rides, and mai mommy sings reeaal pretty! 'Nd you talk to me, too. Even though yer' a big kid," she explained.

He watched her face carefully, in awe that such little things was what made her see the world with such lightness in her eyes. The fact that her dad took care of animals, that her sister smiled, and even that he talked to her was enough proof in the good of the world for this little girl. Just the thought of such simple little things and she'd started smiling like nothing bad could ever come her way. She shone like this ray of light, and he wondered briefly if he'd ever felt the way she did about the world. About people. If he ever had, it was lost to his memory. Tucked somewhere underneath all the shit he had suffered through.

"You keep thinkin' that, Girl," Daryl said, earning a questioning look from the little girl. "Even when ya see bad thangs… Keep believin' that. Sure wish I could…" The words had just… come out. He knew she probably would forget their conversation in the next few moments, but he felt the need to tell her that, so that maybe, she wouldn't view the world like he did.

"Beth!"

A man's voice snapped Daryl out of his thoughts, and he watched as an older man ran towards them, a woman and a little, short haired, brunette girl right behind him.

Daryl stood up, helping Beth from her swing so she could go to her family. Once her little feet where on the ground she started running, her face lit up with joy.

Daryl just kind of looked at the ground, feeling jealous that her family cared so much about her, even though he knew he shouldn't feel that way. He couldn't help it though, it was just what he felt. There he was, some punk fifteen year old, out at the park at night with a few cigarettes stuffed in his pocket, waiting until his daddy drunk himself into a coma so he could get some damn sleep. He stuffed the feeling down, knowing that he could better handle this life than she could. He wanted her to keep that outlook on life, on the world, on people. It was a view he couldn't afford to look at.

He watched silently as Beth was scooped into the man's arms, and given seemingly endless words of affection and kisses, her mother soon joining in. Maggie, however, began scolding her for running off, and Beth's father just laughed at his elder daughters words.

Suddenly, the man caught eyes with Daryl, and this caused Beth to remember the young man who had looked after her. Suddenly she went wild in her father's arms, calling out to Daryl, who took a step back, feeling like a startled animal caught in headlights.

The man set Beth down, following her as she ran over to Daryl, wrapping her tiny arms around his legs. Daryl went to yell at her by force of habit, but a large hand offered out him made the words catch in his throat, and remember his manners.

"Wha's that for?" Daryl asked, nodded to the man's extended hand.

"My name's Hershel Greene young man," he said. "And this is a thank you for watching over my daughter. We were worried sick about her. She tends to wander off, so thank you for not leaving her all by herself."

Daryl just shook Hershel's hand, not really sure what to say. He'd never been complimented before, so his response ended up being a mumble of something along the lines of "No problem".

Once their hands dropped back to their sides, Hershel went to pick Beth up and leave, but she refused to let go of his legs. He tried to peel her off, eventually receiving the help of Hershel who looked startled once they had successfully pried her off of Daryl. Tears streaked down her now rosy cheeks, and little sobs and hiccups poured from her mouth as she reached out to Daryl who was honestly shocked by her reaction.

He understood that she had liked his company, but he didn't know she'd like it _that _much.

"Wha's wrong, Girl?" he asked, feeling his heart soften a bit as the little girl's tears fell in rivers.

"Wan'na stay!" she cried, wailing after she choked out the words. "Love Daryl!"

He had never felt so much emotion in one moment. He was startled by the emotions he felt as this sweet little girl reached so desperately for him. He put a large hand on the top of her head, watching as her crying slowly stopped, her little hands reaching up to hold onto hi hand and wrist.

He took a deep breath, hoping to God he could handle what he was about to say. "I'm sure we can see each other again."

"'Rilly?" she asked, her voice still dripping with her sadness, her perfect blonde little eyelashes still blinking away alligator tears.

He met eyes with Hershel, expecting him to curse him and tell him to get away from his little girl, but all he found were soft eyes and an even softer smile. "That's alright with me," the older man said.

Daryl smiled at Hershel, and then at Beth, whose eyes lightened, and she slowly let go of his arm.

With that, Beth's mother, who he came to know as Anette Greene, thanked him as well, along with Maggie who eyed him suspiciously, but seemed rather content just knowing her sister was safe.

Daryl was the last to leave the park, feeling a sense of fullness he hadn't known was possible. He had, in a sense, protected a little girl, gotten a compliment, and made a friend -even if said friend was a three year old- all in one night.

He felt so light, it didn't even bother him when he walked into his house to find his dad passed out, a whiskey bottle clutched tightly in a rough, calloused hand.

The only thing that popped his bubble was his brother's sudden presence once he made it to the bedroom. Merle was rummaging through the dresser they had shared before Merle had booked it the hell out of their personal hell, leaving Daryl to burn in his pit of fire all alone.

Anger, a familiar emotion, flooded through Daryl's veins, and he kicked Merle's lower back hard, gritting his teeth so tightly he thought they might break.

"Da' fuck you doin' Baby Brotha'?" Merle snapped, rubbing his back where Daryl's foot had just landed. "Tryin' ta' break mah' back?"

"Ya' deserve worse," Daryl growled back, standing tall as Merle slowly got up.

"Fer' what? Comin' back to ta' rescue ya'?" Merle smirked, and Daryl's glare turned slowly to a gaze of slight confusion and distrust. His brother had played this game before

"What?" Daryl asked gruffly.

"I gotta place up in Atlanta ya' pussy, and I'm gon' take ya' there. So long as ya' don't fuckin' kick me 'gain. Try somethin' like that one more time and imma leave ya' right here," Merel threatened, and he was only half serious.

"You seriously got a place?" Daryl asked, now hopeful.

"Hell yeah baby brotha! And I'm takin' ya' back with meh' tonight!" Merle looked excited, and it was contagious. Daryl smiled at his brother, hugging him before packing up his backpack with everything he needed.

Then they left.

It wasn't until he couldn't see the house anymore that he said good riddance to it, some twisted part of himself feeling bad for his father being left alone with a house that could be foreclosed on any day now. There was a bigger part of him though that reveled in the newfound freedom. He was leaving. He was leaving this rundown, one horse town, and was off to Atlanta, off to a better life.

It wouldn't be until he got to Atlanta that Daryl would realize he would be breaking his promise to little Beth Greene, and he would try to shake it off, which would be hard for awhile, the memory of her tears actually causing him pain. But eventually the memory of that sweet little girl would tuck itself into the back of his mind, forgotten as other troubles take priority.

But that moment held deep in the confines of his mind wouldn't be the last time he saw the youngest Greene daughter. They would meet again, only this time, he wouldn't be able to call her a "little girl" anymore.

He may have forgotten her, but she would never forget him.


	2. two

_**It's finally finished! Yay! **_

_**Okay, jesus, this took me a long time to write... But I'll spare you the detail and just let you read XD Favorite, Follow, and Review! I don't know when the next one will be out, but let's all hope I have an easier time writing the next chapter! Anyway, enjoy :3 Thank you all for being so supportive! You're all wonderful and I love you *makes heart with hands* Keep calm and Bethyl on!**_

* * *

><p>Two:<p>

Daryl tried not to think about his brother.

This was the thousandth time Merle had gone to get some more of his supply from the inner city in the past month, leaving Daryl all alone in the suffocating crowds.

The younger Dixon had paced around their shitty apartment for at least an hour, so pissed off he didn't know what to do with himself, and before he knew it, he was packing a bag.

He had told Merle that the next time he left, he wouldn't be there when he came back. If he called, he wouldn't come running like he always did. If he hadn't used it so much, and kept his word about it, maybe Merle would've taken the threat more seriously. Maybe he'd actually expect his brother to do it. Maybe Daryl could've actually brought himself to do it sooner. He supposed it was better late than never.

The Dixon family motto was echoing infinitely in his mind as his steps crunched in the recent Atlanta snowfall, but he ignored it as best he could. Where did that damn saying allow him to draw a line? Enough was enough! Merle had gone back and forth between being insanely fucked up and sober for years, and Daryl was tired of watching him suffer. Hell, _he _was suffering because of his brother's addiction, and Merle didn't even care -not that he really expected his brother to give any amount of shits about his feelings-.

Nevertheless, he was finally getting away. He felt like a damn teenager running away from home, especially since he couldn't just get on his motorcycle and drive off since Merle had crashed it the last time he was high, but that's what it had come to.

He gathered up his savings and bought a Greyhound ticket west, hoping that he could get a job or at least find somewhere he could make a comfortable place for himself. He'd thought about going back to High School and getting his GED, feeling so fucking stupid for dropping out. At the time, he hadn't been thinking about his future because he was fairly convinced he didn't have one. Well, he wanted to try now.

He tried to focus on that as he walked into the bus station, the thought of him actually becoming successful one day both strange and comforting. It helped calm his nerves until he realized that there was only one seat empty in the entire place -as ridiculous as that sounds, there were literally no other spots available-. He had walked to the station, so his feet weren't feeling the most comfortable they ever had, but he really didn't want to risk the one seat left being next to someone chatty.

He was just going to stand, but his feet suddenly started aching more than before, and he glared down at his toes, swallowing his pride for the pain in the soles of his feet.

* * *

><p>Beth tried not to think about her sister.<p>

She knew that in a few hours, Maggie would wake up before everyone else. She would go into the kitchen, make herself, Glenn, and Beth some coffee with a hum filling the room.

She would bring it up to Gleen first, and they would be sickeningly lovey-dovey to one another… But then Maggie would bring Beth a cup, with three spoons of sugar, a splash of vanilla and lots of milk, up to Beth's now empty room.

She would find a note at the end of the youngest Greene's bed describing everything Beth had been terrified to share with her sister face to face. How she felt, why she felt that way… Even though why was plain enough to see.

They were all that was left of the Greene family.

Beth could think about the events that would occur in her absence, but what she didn't want to remind herself of was how sad Maggie would be. How she would cry, and how Glenn would try to comfort her. It was selfish to just drop everything and leave, Beth knew that… But she just couldn't take it anymore. That house just reminded her of everything she had lost, her father's ghost in every stable stall, her mother's soft lullaby lingered in her bedroom, and the dinner table reminded her of too many family meals and the smiles on her family's faces that she would never see again.

Now her father, brother, and mother weren't alive to smile anymore, and the sadness left Maggie and Beth with only sadness in their hearts. At least Maggie could find some solace in her husband's arms, but Beth felt like she had no one.

The blonde's face scrunched at the thought, and she shifted on the bench, pulling her duffle bag closer to her chest.

Now she was just waiting for the Greyhound bus to make it's stop in Atlanta, the wiat already long, and only feeling longer with the tension in her nerves. She found a bit of comfort in the fact that when it pulled up, she would get on and just go. Just like she wanted to. Just like she _needed _to.

Suddenly, someone's shadow enveloped her, and she looked up, finding dark blue eyes bearing down into hers. He startled her, and she felt small under the shape of his broad shoulders. He was no taller than six feet, but she could tell that you wouldn't want to get on his bad side.

He stared at her, one hand holding the strap to his backpack and the other stuffed in his pants pocket. She looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Can ai' sit here?" he asked, the words barely a mumble, gesturing to the other half of the bench, which was otherwise unoccupied.

She blinked, having to absorb the question thoroughly before she could answer. She looked around, realizing that all other seats were full, some jerks taking up a whole bench to nap.

At least this guy had been polite enough to ask, although he didn't really have to. "Uh… Sure. Yeah," she replied, scooting over just a bit.

He nodded curtly in response, sitting down while making sure to keep at least a few inches of space between them.

She glanced over at him as he slumped into the seat, looking relieved to get off his feet.

For good twenty minutes, they both were content to pretend like the other wasn't there, Beth just glad to see that he was about as interested in talking as she was, but when he fell asleep, Beth couldn't help but look him over. He was handsome for an older guy, with a nice jawline, and she was a fan of his medium length hair.

Something about him seemed so terribly familiar, it was almost frustrating. She was blatantly staring at him now, her blue eyes trying to find the memory in the little details of his face. Still, she couldn't quite place him.

When his eyes opened, Beth's widened in surprise. She went to apologize, but he spoke first, the words coming out in a deep snarl, "Why the' fuck're you starin' at me, Girl?"

Beth wasn't at all bothered by his sharp tone. "'M sorry… I didn't mean ta' stare but… What's yer name?"

He blinked at her, looking just as startled as she had a moment ago. "Why the fuck da' you' wan'na know?" he snapped, wishing he could just disappear into the bench and ignore this stupid girl and every other annoying human being in the world. But that bold gaze of hers just kept bringing him back into the room. Back to the present.

"Just 'cause," she said. "Ya' seem really familiar. It's just yer' name, s'not like I'm askin' for yer' life's story."

He glared at her, hoping his gaze would make her so uncomfortable that she would leave him alone, but those blue eyes never left his or showed any sign of giving up her little mission. In fact, they showed genuine curiosity, almost a kind of wonder about who he was…

He shook his head, mumbled an insult and closed his eyes again, forcing the thought back to where it came from.

But still, he found himself opening one eye to peek over in her direction, watching how she tugged at the sleeves of her wool sweater, noticing the small shape of a braid falling with the rest of her side ponytail over one shoulder.

"Daryl," he suddenly found himself saying.

She looked over at him, her blue eyes bright as the name sunk in. The small smile that crept onto her features, along with the sparkling of those beautiful eyes, made something strange shift in his gut. Something akin to the butterflies he felt for Mary Jane Perkins in seventh grade fluttered around his stomach, lifting his chest in a deep relaxed breath, but making him breathless at the same time.

She stuck out her hand suddenly, the smile growing a bit. "Beth. Beth Greene."

Despite the inner warnings going off inside his mind, he took her dainty little hand in his, that feeling flittering around his insides again as he noticed the porcelain tone and the soft feel of her skin.

"Uh… Dixon. Mah' last name's Dixon," Daryl stumbled over words, feeling like an idiot. _The fuck is wrong with you Dixon!_ Daryl snapped to himself, biting back the curse that threatened to release from his throat.

While her smile stayed in place, her eyebrows gently furrowed. "Wait… You're Daryl Dixon?"

_Oh, God… _Panic coursed through him.

Generally, when someone got that look of recognition, it wasn't a good thing. No one ever knew a Dixon under good circumstances. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to deny what he had just told her, there was no point in that. He was a Dixon, it was just a fact. "Yeah… What of it?"

She smiled wide then, which surprised both of them.

She couldn't help it, he just… Brought it out. It was _him. The Daryl Dixon_.

They actually found out his full name from some people in the town who knew him, Hershel wanting to find him once Beth heard the story since she wanted to thank him personally. The woman they heard it from had sworn up and down that he was a bad boy with on future, but Hershel had calmly defended him. Beth had too, although she was much less calm about it compared to her father.

He was the one her father always made sure she would never forget, especially when she went out by herself even as a teenager, always saying "Be careful, you got lucky when you were young, but there aren't always going to be people like Daryl Dixon around to save you".

He was the one she always had some inkling of in the back of her mind. The one, even if she couldn't remember his face, she had thought of in guilt after she had run that broken mirror over harshly over her bare wrist. He had protected her, and she had put it all to waste in that moment, but her gratefulness to him and the support of her family brought her back.

Beth suddenly shook her head. "You don't remember me, do you?" she asked, realizing instantly that it was a stupid question. She had barely been a foot tall when he met her! How the hell was he supposed to recognize her _now_?

He blinked, and looked at their hands, which were still clasped gently together -for whatever reason he hadn't noticed- and let her hand go instantly. "Uh… No, I ain't ever met no girl named Beth Greene." He adjusted himself on the bench, those warning signs screeching louder than before.

This girl was getting chatty, and starting to sound nuts!

Beth only kept smiling. "Yeah ya' did! But, it was about fifteen years ago... That's probably why you don't ramember."

"Fifteen years…" About fifteen years ago he was still living with his father. Merle had run off to only God knows where, but had come back for him that night after- His eyes widened as the memory clicked it's way into the front of his mind, the image of that corn haired toddler holding onto his legs for dear life settling in his brain but buzzing through his nerves.

He looked her up and down, knowing that he shouldn't be shocked that she was so beautiful now considering what a cute little girl she had been, but he had always kept her so little in his mind. Never could he have imagined her to look like she did.

"I prob'ly look a little different now, huh?" she giggled, that smile warm and sweet.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I mean, considerin' that you was maybe…" He tried to gage her height by holding his hand parallel to the ground. "This tall?"

"Yeah, I was pretty tiny," she said, nodding considerately. "But I'm not anymore, obviously. I'm eighteen and all grown up!"

Daryl smirked a little bit, which made Beth feel a sudden tingle of joy in her chest. "Eighteen? I thought you was fourteen at least."

Beth stuck her tongue out at him, and he just waved her off, the smirk still present.

The joking came so easily that neither of them noticed it until they both became silent again, giving them time to consider it. Beth felt comfortable around him, and Daryl didn't seem quite as tense and distant as before. Not that it had mattered when they were strangers, but it was nice to know that some kind of barrier was down.

They sat in silence for a long while, Daryl eventually falling asleep, and just was Beth was about to follow him, she heard someone call out her name.

"Beth!"

Beth sat up suddenly, her head snapping in the direction of the voice, her stomach dropping as she saw Maggie rushing towards her with a purpose in her stride.

"Maggie?" Beth asked, the shock showing in her expression as she frowned and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Beth! What do you think you're doin'? You can't just leave!" her sister cried, grabbing her arm once the younger Greene was in reach.

"Maggie!" Beth exclaimed, struggling against her sisters grip, now on her feet from the forceful pull Maggie had given her. "Lem'me go!"

"Let you go? I don't think so! You ran away from home, and-"

"I didn't run away from anythin' Maggie! Ai'm eighteen! I can do what I want." Beth interjected.

The blonde didn't care if she was yelling. Maggie was the one who had made the scene! Running in, grabbing her by the arm… It was such bullshit!

"Yer' still my sister," Maggie said, her voice threatening. "You-"

"I still will be if I go! I just… Maggie, I have to do this," Beth said, her voice slightly softer now, but still stern, trying to make her sister understand.

"You can't do this!" Maggie yelled. The brunette was crying now, big, sad tears streaming down her cheeks. "You can't leave me all alone!"

"You ain't alone Maggie. You have Glenn, you have the farm…" Beth was out of breath, and suddenly very tired. "You've got yerself, but Maggie… I don't even have me."

Maggie stared at her, her lips tight and her eyes wide and angry. It was a useless effort, Beth knew that. Maggie was even more stubborn than a bull, there was no point in trying to reason with her sister, it would just end in a fight even worse than this, and Beth _really_ didn't want to fight…

Beth pulled her arm from Maggie's grip, anger flooding her senses, but her emotional exhaustion getting the better of her in the end. God, she just really didn't want to fight anymore. Not with herself, not with her sister… Not with anyone.

Fine, she would go home. She would go home and drown in the dark sadness that was already threatening to consume her.

She turned to look at Daryl who was looking at her, his eyes flickering from her to Maggie, then back to her. She wasn't sure when he had woken up, but she guessed that either her or Maggie's yelling had roused him. It could wake the dead.

She smiled sadly, giving him a little wave and turning to follow Maggie.

Suddenly she stopped, feeling a large hand grasp hers. She turned, eyes wide and questioning as she looked up at Daryl, but he wasn't looking at her, he was staring at Maggie, who had turned and was starting toward him. It was only a few paces, but before Maggie could even open her mouth, her green eyes flashing with anger, he started running with Beth in tow.

"What? Daryl!" Beth cried as he pulled her out of the bus station, weaving like an animal running from prey through the scattered busses.

She could hear Maggie calling for her, but they had lost her in the labyrinth of vehicles, eventually climbing on a transit that was just about to leave.

He pulled a few dollars from his pocket and stuffed them in the little thing to pay for both of them, still holding her hand as they found a seat in the very back of the bus. They settled down, him finally releasing his grip and turning his gaze out the window without so much as a grumble to her.

It was obvious to Beth that she wasn't going to get an explanation anytime soon as to why he had done the heroic deed he had. It was the second one he had done for her, and she felt her heart warm, and the butterflies in her stomach began to stir after being frozen by all she had lost.

She reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, and earning a glance from him.

She smiled a truly genuine smile, squeezing his rough, warm hand gently as she said, "Thank you. You really saved me back there."

He just dismissed it with a shrug and something that sounded akin to, "Was nothin'..." those damn butterflies swirling restlessly around in his gut.

Beth squeezed his hand again as the bus started moving, and she closed her eyes, hoping that this wouldn't all be a dream when she woke up. She needed to be liberated, to be free from her sorrows for a little while, and she wanted to be near Daryl.

Next to her, Daryl was thinking the same thing.


	3. three

**_Happy belated update! The next chapter will be out on valentines day -maybe not directly on the day but hopefully so!- which is so not a hint for things to come (*wink wink*) XD hope you like this chapter, and, as always, Favorite, Follow and Review and i will see you all in the next update! Keep calm and Bethyl on! _**

**_(P.S., let's all cross our fingers for that Beth is following Andrea's storyline from the comics and will return next half of the season!)_**

* * *

><p>Three:<p>

Daryl woke Beth up just as the bus was stopping outside of the city, mentally cursing himself for wasting good money by trying to look after Beth Greene yet again. Luckily, he still had at least fifty bucks in his wallet, now about forty-eight since he'd used those two dollars to pay for their ride, but at least it was enough for food. Maybe even a decent meal once they sorted out their plans.

_Wait… "Their_" _plans?_

Daryl had to reevaluate his inner monologue, nearly screaming in frustration at his sudden attachment to the girl. He just tried not to think about it, putting it on the list of things he didn't want to worry about at the moment.

He should've let her go with her sister. He should've let _Maggie _or whatever her name was take Beth as far away from him as possible. He was bad news, half the city

Once they were off the bus, Beth rubbing her eyes sleepily, but keeping up with his irritated and confused pace pretty well.

"Where're we gon'na sleep?" Beth asked as Daryl stopped quickly by a vending machine, putting in about five bucks to give both he and Beth a snack and a boost of energy.

"Dun'no," he replied quickly, turning to see her sitting on the bench next to the machine, and threw her little bag of chips into her lap. She smiled gratefully at him and opened the bag.

"I can pay ya' back for that ya' know," she said, munching on a chip and pulling out her own wallet. "I got at least fifty bucks or so still, so here."

He waved a hand at her, grumbling about it not being a big deal. That she should save it for something else.

"What else could I save it for?" she asked, her eyes sparkling in amusement. "Food is food, and you've already done so much for me."

"Didn't really do that much…" he said, feeling slightly embarrassed by her niceness.

She held the few dollars out to him again, and this time he reluctantly took them.

Honestly, he admired her for paying him back so graciously. First of all, most of the people he knew probably wouldn't ever actually keep their word when it came to money -and that included his brother-, and secondly, it showed that to some extent, she could take care of herself. He liked to see that in people.

She ate her chips without a word, and Daryl ate his cracker mix -or whatever the hell it was- once he had seated himself next to her.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable, they didn't really have to talk, but he figured they should. They needed to decide what was going to happen now. Where she and he, if not they together, were going to go. What they were going to do. Daryl needed a job sooner rather than later, he knew that. He really wanted to rest for now though. He was the one who had stayed up, all night waiting for the bus to reach it's stop near the outskirts of Atlanta.

Suddenly Beth stood up, morphing her bag into a ball and throwing it towards the trashcan, missing by a small bit. He smirked as she pouted, walking over and tossing it in with a sigh.

He said nothing, but she turned, their gazes connecting, and he automatically froze under her blue eyes. He chewed slowly, turning his gaze away to wander down to the concrete nervously.

"Be right back, okay?" Beth said and he turned around to face her, giving her a confused look. She rolled her eyes. "I just gotta go to the bathroom."

He nodded, watching as she turned the corner, following the little sign with the black figure in a dress.

It was strange how she seemed to be observing him, which was never something he felt comfortable with. He just finished off the rest of his bag, getting up to throw his own dinky thing away.

After a few minutes of waiting, Daryl was starting to get a little worried.

The other people who had been scattered around the stop had seemed sketchy, and he figured he should have just taken a bathroom break himself, keeping her close and doing what all humans have to do at the same time. He went to get up when he heard someone call out his name, and he knew it had to be Beth.

He was immediately standing, turning the corner in an instant, not seeing her.

"Beth!" he called, a sudden panic taking over him.

"Daryl!" she called back, this time his name more urgent.

He followed her voice, turning another corner and finding some creep pushing Beth against the wall, his hand trying to get up her shirt, but she was fighting to restlessly. Sadly, that wasn't enough to overpower him. She was too small compared to him, and her strength wouldn't be enough.

_This fucker should learn to pick on someone his own size!_

Daryl didn't think twice about ripping the guy off of her, practically tossing the dude a few feet away, pure rage coursing through him. He wanted to permanently scar this guy so he would never _ever_ touch _any _girl, _especially _Beth, _ever_ again.

He kicked the guy, causing him to try out as he was scrambling to get away. Daryl went to go after him again, but the dude was already half-running half-limping away, and Beth had grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Daryl looked back at her, still angry at the dude, but instantly checking her over, lifting her arms to see if he hurt her.

She smiled gently, tilting her head a bit at his fussy actions. "Daryl," she giggled out, "Ai'm okay! He didn't hurt me, just got a little 'feely' is all…"

"He could'a," Daryl grumbled out, and Beth nodded in agreement.

"But, he didn't," Beth remarked, suddenly standing on her tiptoes to press a small kiss to his cheek, which made Daryl freeze. "Thanks, by the way."

His face burned with embarrassment, and he just whipped around, turning to walk back towards their bags, hoping they were still there when they got back. And they were, thankfully.

When he turned around, after his stupid girlish blushing had stopped, Beth was watching him again, her eyes not judging, just watching his movements. It made him feel strange. It made him feel like she was trying to pick away at his walls with saying a word. Without pressing, without doing any of the things he normally expected from someone who was trying to break him open. It made him itch and feel like curling into himself. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that if she could get him to open up as a child, she could probably do incredibly terrifying things to his walls now without even lifting a finger.

Beth walked over, gathering her things, and Daryl gave her a confused look as she held his bag out to him. "I know a place we can stay at, at least for a night."

He took his bag. "Where?"

"There's this cabin thing off of a road a ways away. I recognize this station, we can stay there. No one knows about it besides my family and some of my former classmates. Maggie probably doesn't even remember the place, and my classmates are all off at college -as far as I know at least- so they won't bother us," she replied.

"Why aren't you? Off at college I mean..." he asked, mentally slapping himself for pressing.

She stopped for a moment, looking back at him with something dark and very sad in her eyes. "I'll show you my scars when you show me yours," she said quietly, and he stiffened.

She knew something that he didn't, he realized. She had sensed something from him, and he wondered briefly if his suffering was obvious, or if she was just good at reading people.

He stayed quiet, hoping she understood that he got what she was saying, and she just turned around, leading the way in silence.

* * *

><p>It had been a much longer walk than either of them had expected, so by the time they got there, they both were sweaty and tired. At least they had a place to rest.<p>

Daryl looked the place over, deciding that, from what he saw one the outside at least, he actually liked it. It wasn't too shabby looking, and it was nestled nicely in the woods, deep enough to be private, but open enough to be inviting towards visitors. This had obviously been a nice cabin once, though it looked pretty abandoned now, nothing like the one he grew up in.

Before they stepped onto the porch, Beth suddenly started laughing. Daryl turned around to give her a confused look, and saw Beth clutching her stomach, bent dramatically at the waist. But something sounded off about her laughter. It sounded.. Odd.

He stepped towards her, seeing suddenly that little droplets were falling onto the ground. Her laughter started to sound a lot more like sobs, and instantly Daryl was uncomfortable.

Crying and girls -and even more so a combination of the two- were not his forte.

He stood there awkwardly for a moment before placing a large hand on her back, deciding to attempt to comfort her. She seemed to flinch a bit at his touch, but before he could pull away he saw her relax a little bit. He felt a bit less uncomfortable seeing that he was somehow helping. He waited for her to stop shaking, avoiding her gaze once she was standing up straight again, knowing that he wouldn't want someone staring at him after he'd been crying.

"Thank you," she said softly, and he grunted in response as he walked towards the cabin.

"Ya' think it's locked?" he asked, his large paces shaking the porch. He treaded carefully to the door, hoping the wood wasn't as fragile as it seemed.

"Could be," Beth replied, staying where she was for a minute, seeming to be gathering herself again.

He tried to door, the knob stopping halfway. "It is."

"Good thing I know where the key is," Beth replied. He watched as she came over to the steps, kneeling down to reach under the wood. After a few moments, she pulled her arm out and held the key up, a triumphant look brightening up her dim features.

He tried to ignore the fact that her eyes were still watery and bright from crying, but it bugged him. He didn't know why she had just broken down like that, but he was starting to think he wasn't the only one with dark demons haunting him with every step he took. But whatever it was, for now at least, he would leave it be. He sure as hell didn't like people stuffing their noses in his business, so he assumed she wouldn't want him doing that either.

"This was my family's old vacation cabin," Beth said as Daryl stepped aside to let her open the door. "We don't really come here anymore though. I used to bring my friends out here all the time, but they've all gone off far away from town, so it's just kinda… Here. I'm glad it finally has a use though."

Beth put the key in the hole and the door clicked unlocked. Beth turned the knob slowly, pushing the door open with careful hesitance. Once she seemed content with the place, she walked inside, gesturing for Daryl to follow her.

It was fairly bare on the inside; furnished in a simple-yet-elegant kind of way, and Daryl liked it. It had a rare charm about it, kind of like Beth did. Sure, the place needed to be dusted and the floor needed to be swept, but that didn't take away the feel the place gave off.

She went around to each room, testing the lights, then the water in the kitchen while Daryl checked the bathroom sink.

"S'nice," Daryl said as he entered the kitchen where Beth was checking the cabinets.

"Yeah, I guess," Beth replied, her eyes focussed on the task at hand, her body tense. "It's just'a cabin."

From some reason, Daryl's anger sparked, and he glared at her, feeling the need to defend this place for some strange reason. "'Is just'a nice cabin."

She stopped what she was doing and turned to him, her big blue eyes wide and quizzical. He just snorted and went over to his bag, pulling out a pack of smokes because he desperately needed a cigarette right now.

With that he walked out the front door, not slamming the door shut, but closing it roughly. God… Why the hell was he so pissed off?

* * *

><p>Beth watched him walk out the door, confused, but also feeling a bit guilty.<p>

She had been trying to play it off as if this place wasn't a big deal. As if it didn't hold hundreds of sweet childhood memories of her entire family, some even including their dear family friends Otis and Patricia.

But that's just it… She had been _trying_, but not necessarily _succeeding_, her breakdown once they first saw the place proof enough of her failure.

The tension in her body was making her on edge, every memory that fluttered through her mind causing this painful stabbing in her chest. She just wanted to forget… She just wanted to be stronger, so she could handle this. So she could go to her old family cabin and feel like her family members were at peace. So she could feel like _she _was at peace.

She wished she could just… _Change_. But things don't work like that.

As Beth grabbed some canned soup to cook, she considered for a moment that that's why Daryl had seemed so pissed off. She had broke down crying, and now she was acting all tense and tightly wound, trying to pass this place off as nothing, but he could see right through that.

The part she would never admit to anyone was the fact that some piece of her hoped that he could see right through her.

He was both easy and hard to read. His eyes gave away a lot, but at the same time, it seemed like he only let show what he didn't know how to hide. Which meant that there was so much more underneath his mask.

She knew a fake expression when she saw one, since she wore them everyday. She knew that most of the time he wore a mask, made for the same purpose as the patterns on a tropical butterfly's wings, to scare people away. A mechanism created out of fear and the need for self preservation.

Beth found a pan and poured the soup in, deciding it was better to put the bad stuff out of her mind for now. She wasn't going to pry information out of Daryl. Not only would that be hypocritical, but just rude in general. She knew though, that she shouldn't act all closed off forever. Besides that, she didn't want to act that way around Daryl at all.

She frowned at herself at the thought, mentally cursing herself for being so pitiful.

She had found Daryl Dixon by pure chance! Why couldn't she set her sadness aside for more than a few hours and revel in the sometimes beautiful strangeness of life?

She shook her head and found a large wooden spoon to stir the soup, deciding to sing a little tn to get her mind back in a good place.

* * *

><p>Daryl knew this place had some meaning to Beth. She had started crying before they'd even gotten inside for christs sake! And then, she just started acting like it didn't mean anything. God, it's was just such bullshit!<p>

He glared out into the daylight, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the side of the cabin and took a long drag.

He had an inkling in the back of his mind that this was probably the feeling people got when they talked to him. The irritation and the annoyance at that stubborn-as-a-bull attitude. He felt that he and Beth were similar in a lot of ways, and experiencing his attributes from an outside perspective was strange, almost educational.

He really hoped he wasn't _this_ irritating.

He heard the door creak next to him and he turned his head, his eyes connecting with Beth's, whose momentarily flashed with a silent apology. He nodded curtly to her in response, hoping she understood that she didn't really need to feel sorry, he was known to be a jerk, so there were no hard feelings, and she seemed to feel a little better with his reply.

She smiled slightly, and said, "I made some soup if you want some."

He tossed his cigarette on the ground, crushing it with his boot and nodding to her. "Sure," he said, and they walked back inside.


	4. four

_**Hey guys! Here's the Valentine's day update I promised! (Yay I met one of my own deadlines for once!) I hope you enjoy it. Also, I wanted everyone to know, to both my Team Delusional and Team Acceptance readers, that no matter what happens, I will continue writing Bethyl fics, and this one in particular, till it's end. They are still my all time favorite TV pairing (OTP Bethyl all the way!) and will remain that way as far as I can tell. **_

_**Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and I will update soon! Keep calm and Bethyl on!**_

* * *

><p>Four:<p>

For a few days, Beth and Daryl used their time cleaning the place up; Beth making it her mission to make everything sparkle, and Daryl mostly helping because there was nothing better to do, along with the fact that he hated feeling useless. So, at his request, she put him to work, fixing a little leak in the roof above one of the bedrooms, and nailing down a loose board on the front porch.

Daryl couldn't help but feel a little unnerved by the normalcy of it all. How she looked mopping the floor, bringing him some lemonade to help him survive the sweltering Georgia heat. How simple it all was, and the growing connection that he and Beth were beginning to feel, without even really knowing each other.

It was easy for him to talk to her, and for him to let out the good pieces of himself around her. Easier than it ever had been with anyone else, and the reality of it was that it shouldn't have been.

Not only was it most likely that Maggie had sent Atlanta's finest after them, or him, more specifically, so he shouldn't get too close to her, but it was just an unspoken rule that men like him weren't supposed to make connections with women like Beth. No matter what she had gone through, she was obviously trying to pull through it. She still radiated that gentle innocence she had all those years ago.

He kept the happiness close to his heart at the fact that she had held onto that. It was a beautiful thing.

Once Daryl hand finished fixing the porch -he had taken it upon himself to fix the porch's railing since it was loose-, he headed inside, nearly tripping over Beth who had inconveniently seated herself right in the doorway.

"Move yer' ass, Girl! I almost kicked ya'," Daryl said, playfully nudging her side with his foot.

SHe just looked up at him, smiling wide. "Ya' know you hum while you work?" she countered, making his face burn.

"So?" he mumbled, walking over to get himself a glass of lemonade. They were lucky enough to get the power working to the fridge could turn on. Powdered lemonade may not have been as good as freshly squeezed, but in this heat, Daryl could settle just fine.

"So, it's cute," Beth teased, her eyes sparkling.

They had also been easily playful to each other, somehow knowing exactly what to say to make the other laugh, never going too far.

Daryl scoffed and said, "I ain't cute," deciding to guzzle down his glass, burping loudly to prove his point.

She just laughed, her nose scrunching sweetly. "Well, not when you do _that_."

Daryl smirked slightly, pouring himself another glass before going over to sit in the nice arm chair in front of Beth. He put one leg on top of the other, watching her as she tried to open some of the paint cans they found in the back shed. He knew how to open the can, and while he knew she sure as hell wasn't doing it right, he wanted to watch her struggle with it for a little bit. She was pretty damn cute when she was frustrated.

He grunted angrily at his own thought, taking a swig of his lemonade, trying to switch his train of thought.

Beth wanted to repaint the front. She said it looked sad; like it needed a nice new coat of paint to perk it up. He wondered if that was a metaphor for him, or maybe even for herself, but he didn't ask. He'd just help her out just like he had been, and maybe the answer wouljd reveal itself on it's own.

He still didn't really understand what he was doing there. Why he was still in this quaint little cabin with Beth, helping her fix it up, and joking with her like some stupid couple…

He tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach at that thought, and how he felt instantly nervous because of it. How he couldn't look at her after that, deciding to take great fascination in the wallpaper on the right side of the room instead.

He finally looked back her direction when she made a very angry noise. He turned his gaze to find her holding the can out to him, a pout pulling down the corners of her mouth.

He chuckled, taking the can and kneeling on the ground, opening it smoothly with one try.

She groaned. "That's _so_ not fair! You've got magic hands or something!"

He looked up at her with wide eyes, not-so innocent thoughts involuntarily flooding his mind. She stared back, her cheeks blooming into a deep red as the same kinds of thoughts flickered into her head. Realizing that she had brought up something that had such a suggestive undertone, knowing but unable to voice that this was not her intent.

But then Beth wondered, why did it matter? Why did it make her so nervous to bring up something that wasn't even that sexual? Why did it make her blush and not want to look into his eyes?

Suddenly Daryl was standing, still holding the paint can. "Where're the brushes?"

Beth looked up at him, her eyes locking onto his midnight blue ones, seeing the nervousness she felt reflected in his always intense gaze. She reached behind her, pulling two brushes out. He hadn't said he would help with the painting, but secretly she had hoped he would.

He raised an eyebrow at her, a small smirk causing a little bit of light to reach his eyes. This was something new, and it made her stomach do happy little flips.

"What?" she asked, giggling a bit while she spoke the word.

"Nothin', come on. Let's start paintin'," he replied, holding out a hand to help her up.

She took it, letting out a little surprised noise when he pulled her up so easily. She looked at him, hoping he could see that she was impressed.

He just hid behind his bangs, glancing at her momentarily before taking a quick step towards the front door. "Yer' heavier than ya' look."

Beth huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It ain't nice to call a girl fat, ya' know," she countered, "S'not like I could carry you around for more than a minute anyways! Hipocrate."

Another smirk slipped onto his features, and he just shook his head, walking out onto the porch. "Doubt you could even last'a minute."

"Bet I could," Beth replied. "I'm stronger than I look too."

Daryl chuckled, turning an amused glance to her as he grabbed a dirty sheet to spread it over the main part of the porch, where they wouldn't be painting. "Aren't you jus' full'a suprises."

She smiled wide at him, helping to adjust the fabric so it covered the entire flat of the porch. "Speakin' of surprises, I talked to my sister."

Daryl gave her a concerned look, but she just shook her head, assuring him that there was no bad news. "Don't worry. I just explained the situation, and even told her she could stop by if she wanted."

"She wasn't mad?" Daryl asked, a bit confused by this turn of events.

"I don't think Maggie was really mad to begin with honestly. I think she's really afraid of losin' someone else, but now that Glenn's calmed her down, I think she's at least tryin' to understand why I need to be away from home," Beth replied, grabbing a brush and moving over to sit near Daryl.

"And Glenn is…?" Daryl asked.

"Oh, right! Sorry. Sometimes I forget that you haven't always been around… Glenn's Maggie's husband," Beth responded, a little nervous laughter bursting through her lips when she realized what she had said. God, sometimes around Daryl she just couldn't stop talking. Especially when she really needed to, apparently. It made her feel a bit better to see that he didn't seem to mind.

Daryl tried not to read too much into her words, but his mind seemed to go off like nothing he'd ever experienced when she said little things like that. It was getting harder and harder to ignore those sorts of sentences.

"Just glad she didn't have Atlanta's finest on my ass," Daryl replied honestly, letting out a little snort as he dipped his paint brush into the can. "Last thing I need is to get locked up for kidnapping after trying to be a hero for you a second damn time."

Beth laughed out loud, the sound causing Daryl to look over. Her beautiful expression made his mind go blank for a moment and his brain couldn't even send the signal to look away to the right place. Instead, he made a complete fool of himself.

he went to paint a few more lines on the wood, missing the intended target by maybe an inch or so while also practically tripping himself with the sheet. It was just his luck that he just so happened to be leaning a little bit too far forward as well, and he nearly fell completely, catching himself quickly, but not before his head had roughly tapped the wood railing.

A sharp pain shot through his head and he groaned in embarrassment, and for the small throb he felt as he pulled away.

"Oh my God! Daryl!" Suddenly she was right beside him, checking his head with a concerned look on her face. "Jesus! That sounded like it hurt!"

She was so close to him, half of her front practically pressed against him. Too close… Way too close.

He tried to push away but that damn tap had rung his bell, and she had already lifted his bangs to take a quick peek at the injury. He tried his hardest to look anywhere else but her face, and somehow ended up staring down her tank top for a few seconds, which only made his already heated face burn.

God, what was with him? She made him act like a bull in a China shop. Made him seem like he couldn't take one step without tripping or breaking something. Which was ridiculously stupid because he was more than capable of standing on his own.

And then she would get all close and personal about it… Like she didn't know she made his brain go haywire every time she smiled.

_What the hell is wrong with me!_

"'M fine," Daryl said, shaking her off, which only made her look more concerned. "Just a lil' bump. I done worse."

Beth laugh lightly, shaking her head. "God… What's with boys and hurting themselves? Drives us women crazy with worry, ya' know."

He was about to interject and tell her that he didn't hurt himself on purpose, but the last thing she said caught him off guard. He scoffed, beginning to paint again to try and take his mind off the girl next to him. "Got no need to worry 'bout me."

He didn't have to even look her direction to know she was smiling. "'Course I do! Who else is gonna take care of you when it's only us out here?"

He grunted, shaking his head. "I don't need no babysitter."

He made the mistake of glancing her way, her eyes alight with amusement, his heart rate speeding up. "Really? 'Cause that little tumble just now suggests otherwise."

He started painting faster, grumbling a short, "Shut up…" in response.

Suddenly he felt something wet and brush-like slide down his arm, and he turned to her, looking from his now white arm to a cheeky looking Beth. She giggled, and he smirked as he counter attacked, shamelessly dragging the paintbrush, heavy with paint, from her hip to her knee. She gasped, catching him with by painting a quick line from his shoulder to his collar bone.

They stared at one another for a minute, both needing a brush refill but neither making a move towards the can. Their eyes were locked as Daryl said, "Ya' sure ya' wanna do this, Girl?"

She just laughed confidently. "Oh yes, _Mr. Dixon. One hundred percent_."

And then, it was war.

Paint was splashing everywhere, lines of white were streaked across their bodies, and they both were laugh hysterically, until Daryl tackled Beth to the ground, somehow able to still be gentle with her. He globbed paint onto her right cheek, and she squealed loudly, laughing in fits as he pushed himself to his elbows, a few more chuckles escaping him before he realized what position he had put them in.

She looked up at him with this amazingly beautiful smile on her face, and his heart leapt at the sight.

"You play dirty, Dixon," she giggled, "That ain't how the game is supposed ta' be played."

"Says who, Girl? Ain't no rules to the paint game," he replied, his body tensing as the word _dirty _left her mouth.

"Says me," Beth teased, suddenly, and very boldly, putting an arm on each of his shoulders, linking her hands at the nape of his neck.

He suddenly felt… Strange. Not uncomfortable, but like he was trespassing on sacred ground or something. Beth was this angel. This beautiful angel that could make him laugh, and make him want to, maybe even take a little joy in, fixing up houses. That made him see the lights in the sky instead of worrying about what horrible memory of his hid in the darkness. He wondered briefly if he was influencing her in a some way similar to how she was influencing him. Thought he knew how bad it was to take advice from a Dixon, he saw that Beth was having a bit of trouble being as strong as he knew she was. If he was one thing, he was tough, he knew that. So maybe the one giving so much to Daryl was actually receiving something in return for once.

He liked that thought a lot.

"Daryl, I've been thinkin'..." Beth said, breaking his train of thought. "I mean, I know we kinda both know that we won't be able to stay here forever…" Daryl tried to ignore the sadness that swirled in his gut as she said those words, but she was quick to continue. "But maybe… Maybe we could stay here for a while longer… Together."

He immediately pulled away, moving back to sit a small ways away from Beth. That little red light in the back of his mind flashing like no tomorrow.

_Together._

God… He never thought he could enjoy a word so much. It was almost painful. But that's kind of how he felt every time he looked at her.

"This place… It's my family's," Beth said. "My Daddy used to take the whole family, me, Maggie, Shawnn, Momma and I, out here during the summer. We'd go fishin' in the lake just down the path in the back, and we'd sing songs by a campfire at night."

Daryl looked at Beth, who was now also sitting up, her eyes looking off into the distance. He could tell the memories were not bad ones, but they were painful nonetheless, for whatever reason.

"My parents and Shawn all died in a car accident last summer while they were drivin; Shawn back to college 'cause his was havin' some trouble," she said, her voice quievering, and her bottom lip following in suit.

He saw the tears well up in her eyes and spill over onto her cheeks. Her face contorting suddenly in sadness. "I know… The good memories shouldn't make me wanna cry… But they do!" She laughed incredulously, wiping at her cheeks and nose and eyes. "God, Ai'm such'a baby…"

"Nah," Daryl said instantly, feeling the need to defend her, even if it was from herself. "Ya' lost some important people, and ya' can't have anymore memories with them. That ain't right. Ain't how it's supposed ta' be. Cryin'... It's natural."

She looked over at him, her eyes bright from crying, and her cheeks almost as red as the rims of her eyes. She smiled at him, and his heart softened instantly. She had just shared something very painful with him, without asking for anything in return.

He just scooted closer to her and pulled her into his side. She laced their fingers together and sighed, still crying, but much less so now that Daryl was truly by her side.

Daryl, feeling very much like he had not given as much as Beth did, but not knowing how much he was ready to give, decided to offer up something.

"My Daddy used to beat me pretty bad," he said quietly, not looking at Beth but knowing she had turned her gaze his direction. "Real bad. One time I couldn't even get up."

Suddenly, he felt something wonderfully soft press against his cheek. He turned his head, his gaze instantly connecting with her beautiful blue eyes.

He cleared his throat, tightening his his grip on her hand.

After a few moments sitting like that, Daryl cleared his throat, glancing her way before saying. "I think we could stay here a while… Ya' know… Together. Before I gotta go do mah' own thang…"

She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up again. "I like you, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl smiled back. Small, but full of meaning. "I like you too, Beth Greene."

"No, Daryl," Beth said, turning to face him completely, suddenly looking very serious "I really like you Daryl. In a, 'I'm interested in you' kinda way."

Daryl stared at her, his eyes wide as her words sunk in, her sharp blue gaze staring deep into his. Only one syllable could make it's way from his lips, "Oh."


End file.
